Image Credit: AP Photo / Abbie Parr
Final Score: KC 6 | MIN 1
Overall Record: 35-22
Winning/Losing Pitcher
W: Seth Lugo (9-1 | 1.72 ERA)
L: Bailey Ober (5-3 | 4.89 ERA)
Royals Player(s) of the Game
Nelson Velazquez: 2-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R
Velazquez hasn’t been the most consistent player so far this season, but he is a sight to behold when he does find his groove. That was on full display last night, as he mashed two homeruns and collected half of the team’s RBI. He is batting just .224 this season, but he has provided a good bit of pop (seven HR) for a team that has been a surprisingly good power team up to this point in the season.
Seth Lugo: 6 IP, 1 ER, 5 K, 6 H, 3 BB
I told you last week that it’s almost a given at this point that the Royals starting pitcher will be on of my ‘Players of the Game’. Well, this week is no different. Lugo once again pitched a tremendous game, which is becoming commonplace for him this year. He collected his 10th quality starts in just 12 starts and lowered his ERA to a now league-leading 1.72. He also tied Ranger Suarez with his ninth win of the season. Lugo is now a 10:1 favorite on Caesars Sportsbook to win the AL Cy Young, behind only Tarik Skubal and Corbin Burnes.
Other Highlights
Four different Royals collected two hits, but Velazquez and Salvador Perez were the bread winners. Perez added another homerun, as well as a pair of RBI and runs. Bobby Witt Jr. continued his hot start, raising his average up to .381 over the past 10 games.
The bullpen kept the end of the game relatively quiet, with only Carlos Hernandez facing multiple baserunners. Angel Zerpa lowered his ERA down to 1.64, while Will Smith continues to settle in after his rough start. The Royals now have a handful of options that they can feel confident in.
Summary of the Next Game
The Royals will look to split the four game series with the Twins on Thursday afternoon. Brady Singer will look to build on his impressive month of May (just eight earned runs across five starts). In his first start against the Twins, he went seven innings with 10 strikeouts and didn’t allow a run on just three hits.